The initial shock of the child abuse scandal at Penn State was disturbing enough, but what came later may have been even more so.

That Joe Paterno, other coaches and members of the administration failed in a straightforward, utterly uncomplicated moral task — to protect defenseless children from rape — is almost mind numbing. No weighing of competing interests or complex variables was required. On one hand, you had children being abused and, on the other, the reputation of a hugely profitable football program. They chose the football program!